


The Charlatan's Plan

by Philpott397



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Implied Smut, M/M, Ryder not knowing how to relax, tempest crew antics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-19 13:18:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17602091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philpott397/pseuds/Philpott397
Summary: Reyes goes behind the scene to pull strings to get Scott some time off from his busy schedule as pathfinder.  But how will his workaholic boyfriend take the news?





	1. The Meeting

“You’re doing what now?”  Scott asked, eyes shooting between the salarian and krogan sitting on the other side of the table.

“We’ve come to the realization that your team and you haven’t gotten any shore leave since Meridian was found over a year ago.  We felt that it would be beneficial to honor your request from two months ago.”  Tann explained, intertwining his fingers in front of him.

“I don’t understand, we’re actually getting a vacation?”  He asked, confused expression still holding on strong as the two leaders sighed in unison.

“Ryder, we have multiple complaints from your crew about them and you working too hard over the past few months.  If I have to read one more of Drack’s letters about you stumbling into the galley and waking him up in nothing but your boxers looking for a cup of coffee because you haven’t slept in days, I will personally put you in cryo pod and shoot you in the direction of the kett home world.”  Kesh said, standing up with an angry huff.

“I have done that a lot haven’t I?”  Scott sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Yes, now the tempest will have three weeks of shore leave, giving you enough time to travel if need be.  Starting now you are no longer allowed to complete missions or tasks for the initiative.  If we hear that you are working, we will be forced to take further administrative actions.”  Tann said, getting up from the table with a smile as Kesh followed him.

“What further actions?”  He asked, still sitting in his chair looking dumbfounded.

“I’ll leave you on Voeld in your underwear.”  Kesh voiced, smirking as she took her spot for a vidcall with Tann about settlements on Eos.

“That’s not so…”  He started to say as the krogan turned a glare on him.

“And I’ll cut the communication channels from the Tempest to Kadara.”  She said, watching his face scrunch up in worried suspicion, not unlike that of a child trying to push their boundaries.

“You wouldn’t.”  He muttered, crossing his arms in defiance at the thought of having coms with his boyfriend severed.

“Pray you don’t have to find out Ryder, you’re dismissed.”  She said, crossing her arms with a winning grin as he slouched and retreated from pathfinder hall.

Walking to the tram with his hands stuffed in his pockets, Scott couldn’t help the irritating itch that was crawling under his skin.  Before Andromeda he had been relatively carefree and very avoidant of working.  But as soon as the pathfinder role had been passed to him by his late father, his own mindset had changed along with it.  And as much as he wanted to maybe blame SAM for it, he knew it was him changing of his own regard. 

Now he hardly went an hour of the day without something to do.  Getting up early to work out, then eat and check emails, settling in for reports and the missions of the day, eat and check emails, then realize it was the next day before he went to sleep.  It had been like this ever since he had gotten the title, only growing worse during and after the defeat of the Archon.  Hell there were some days that they jumped between multiple planets in one day cycle to get missions done or check up on projects. 

At first it had been a way to stay busy without thinking about his father’s body entombed in the memorial section of the Nexus or his sister so still in her coma.  Quickly morphing into a productive way to spend his nights and morning where sleep either eluded him or failed to happen without buried memories coming to the surface.  And it had stayed that way until he had fallen in bed with a certain suave smuggler that chases away the terrors and filled the gaps with blissful memories.

But the whole while his work had stayed steady, increasing after defeating the Archon.  They saw each other less than they wanted to and it was starting to take a toll on his health.  Not being able to sleep left him lethargic and confused in some of the activities he did on a daily basis.  He would never forget the absolutely gut hurting laughter that Cora had let out after watching him crack six eggs in a row, throwing away the yoke instead of the shell each time.  Drack storming in and locking him in one of the gear lockers for most of the day, telling him to sleep or think about the precious resources he had wasted.

_Ryder, you have been staring at the tram control for some moments now.  SAM mentioned in their private channel breaking him out of his thoughts._

“ _Thanks SAM._ ”  He mumbled under his breath as he pressed the button to the docks.

_Of course, would you like me to inform the crew of our planned departure?  SAM asked._

“ _Yeah, don’t tell them about the shore leave yet though._ ”  He said, a slight smile playing on his features at the thought them finally getting some time to themselves.

Holding his hand up to the dock worker to get his credentials scanned, he walked through to the secure area of the landing pad that the tempest was sitting on.  Glancing over the where Vetra was arguing with a dock hand over some dented ration containers before walking up the ramp to the cargo bay.  Taking a seat on the bench sitting just beside the nomad, he waited for the rest of the crew to show up so that he could give them the good news.

His thoughts easily wandered to what Reyes would say when he gave him that news.  Having not seen each other once other than in vid calls for the past four months because of their busy schedules.  Sometimes missing the other by hours because a meeting of mission could not be interrupted.  He knew that his partner would be happy at the news of having him to himself for potentially three weeks depending on what his crew wanted to do and if I had to include him.

“Ryder, you gonna say something or just continue to start at the wall like you wanna kiss it?”  Peebee asked, crossing her arms with a smirk as she watched him visibly flinch as realizing his whole crew was standing in front of him while he daydreamed about his partner.

“Oh, um.  Thank you for all coming so quickly.  I went to my meeting with Tann and Kesh, and have brought back some good news.  We are getting three weeks of shore leave starting effective immediately.”  He explained to a chorus of disbelieving cheers.

“Ha, I knew those emails would work.”  Drack chuckled causing Scott to chuckle uncomfortably.

“So what are we going to do Ryder?”  Cora asked, herself uneasy with the thought of now having a strict schedule of work to keep her busy.

“I’ll probably be on Kadara for most of it, so whatever you guys want really.  We’re just not allow, or at least I am not allowed to work at all.”  He said, rubbing the back of his neck in hope of stopping the blush from the knowing looks of his crew.

“Oh, Kesh threatened you with something good didn’t she?  That’s my girl.”  Drack laughed, slamming his fist down into the crate he was sitting in with enthusiasm.

The scolded look he was giving off must have been a dead giveaway because it had the entire crew laughing at his expense. 

“You should invite Reyes to come with us, after all we should have a crew vacation where we all can connect without it having to be work.”  Lexi proposed, having remained mostly silent the whole time standing at the edge of the ramp.

“Yeah, we should go to that lake on Eos, have a beach party.”  Peebee said, jumping up and down in excitement at the possibilities.

“You just want to see us shirtless.”  Liam pointed out, eyeing the Asari with a smirk.

“A beach with benefits you could say.”  She snickered.

“How about you call you boy toy and we’ll set a course for Kadara so we don’t waste any more time?”  Cora proposed, nodding toward his quarters.

“Ok, you’ll get on that right Kallo?”  He asked, receiving a thumbs up from the pilot as everyone separated to make plans.

Taking a deep breath he jumped down off of the crate and starting toward his room.  Anxiety building in his gut about getting to talk to the smuggler again.  The last time they had talked had been two days ago and it was a rush because he had a vidcall meeting five minutes after they started and Reyes had been visibly checking other messages to a deal that was going down for the collective.  Needless to say he hoped that the smuggler would be able to take some time away from his busy schedule to talk to him.

Toeing off his shoes by the door, he grabbed his data pad off his desk before settling on the edge of his bed.  Finger swiping though his call list until he landed on the encrypted address of his partner.  Waiting a few anxious seconds he finally hit the call symbol and turned on the video option for that his face was visible in the chat.  The data pad buzzed in his hands four times trying to connect the call before the agitated face of his Latino man appeared on his screen.

“Um, is this a bad time?”  Scott asked, uncertain as the man’s conflicted eyes turned to him.

“You orchestrated this didn’t you?”  Reyes accused, leaning back in his creaky chair to cross his arms and glare at the video camera.

“I don’t think so, what’s going on?”  He asked, maintaining his ignorant innocence under the man’s powerful gaze.

“So you’re telling me that you didn’t get Keema to all but kick me out of my throne for three weeks on a supposed vacation?  Especially when I have word that you will be docking in a few hours?”  The smuggler explained, arching an eyebrow when his partner’s eyes widened in realization.

“Those conniving bureaucrats, son of…”  Scott growled before looking up at his snickering partner, unable to keep his handsome features under control any longer as he fought for control over his laughter.

“Oh Keema was right, this was so worth it.  Surprise my overworked handsome devil, we get to spend the better part of a month together thanks to yours truly.”  Reyes clarified, laughter dissolving into nervous chuckles as he looked down the barrel of his partner’s glare.

The normally composed smuggler started to look concerned as his boyfriend continued boring a hole into his skull with his silently fuming stare.  Silently frightened that he might have done something very wrong in going behind Scott’s back and organizing diplomats to get him some time off.  He wasn’t unaware of how hard the pathfinder had been working, and he had wanted to remedy it.  Now, it was starting to feel like a mistake.

“Let me get this straight, you got the leadership of the Nexus to give my crew a vacation so that you and I could finally have some time together?”  Scott stated, watching his partner’s posture carefully.

“Yes, is that a bad thing?”  The smuggler asked carefully, leaning forward.

“What did I do to deserve someone like you?  Thank you Reyes, this is awesome.”  Scott said, finally smiling to reassure the man in front of him. 

“I’m glad you like it, should I get the house ready for your long awaited arrival?”  The man asked, smirking deviously as he licked his lips causing a shiver to run up the pathfinder’s spine.

“Um, Lexi mentioned something about you maybe coming onto the tempest and spending time with me while the crew bounced between planets.  You know, crew bonding.”  He explained nervously, afraid of ruining what Reyes might have planned for them.

Looking up from where his gaze had fallen to his lap, he caught the soft gaze of the Latino smuggler smiling at him with such love in his golden brown eyed gaze that he nearly melted under the scrutiny.  The man leaned forward a little more, smile growing with mischievous nature as he kept him waiting for a moment before sliding his desk chair slightly to the side and sitting up.  In the background of what he recognized of his penthouse that Reyes living in above the throne room was two bags packed and ready.

“I’m glad to see that your doctor can use her words as well as he medical skills.  It is all part of the plan carino, unless you want to stay on Kadara.”  Reyes offered.

“My bed’s bigger.”  Scott replied, heart jumping as he watched his partner lean back with a devious smirk.

“That it is, I will see you in a few hours then.”  The man said, leaning forward to end the call.

As soon as the screen went blank as the call was cut, he toss the object to the side and fell back on his bed.  Breathing a deep sigh, he fought the urge to go over to his desk and take care of a few unfinished reports.  Turning his head to the side, the various clothes and books stacked around his room met his eyes.  With a groan he sat up, knowing that his partner would give him grief if he walked into a room he had yet to clean in a month.

-


	2. A Different Mindset

When his cabin door opens a few hours later, he doesn’t really give it a second thought from where he is reading through some random weather reports on Voeld, the threat of not working dissipating each minute he slipped back into his normal routine.  Until a very blunt object impacts his shoulder, causing his to yelp and dive under his desk from being startled so harshly out of his zone.  Glancing to his side, he can see the offending object, a leather boot untied and caked with Kardaran dust.  Peeking out from his hiding spot, he slowly hides himself again when he sees Reyes glaring at him with his arms crossed.  A formidable stance even with one of his boots missing, leaving the man lopsided with his white sock sticking out against the dark background.

“What do you think you’re doing?”  The man asked, stalking up to the corner of his partner’s desk.

“Um, reading for enjoyment?”  Scott tried, smiling innocently up at the smuggler as he continued to compact himself in the small space.

“Do you usually write reports on your reading for enjoyment, because this open writing program is pretty damning evidence that you were doing the one thing you were to avoid.”  The smugglers pointed out, bending down until he was eye level with the guilty man.

“Are you gonna tell Kesh?”  He asked, the poster child of the scolded two year old, bringing out the puppy dog eyes and quivering lip that he knew he had the best chance to swaying the man with.

“Scott, this is strike one.  You are not to be working during the next three weeks, for your own benefit I might add.  I have dozens of concerned emails from your crew, each telling me that same story.  Of how you’re not sleeping, hardly taking a moment for yourself.  We’ve had conversations about why you work so much, and we obviously need to have them again if your idea of enjoyment is continuing to work.”  His partner explained, pulling him from below the desk to lead him over to the bed.

He remembered the conversation well, it had happened in the days following the battle at Meridian.  Having been on mandatory bed rest by Lexi and his debilitated condition, he hadn’t had time to really get back to his normal routine.  Reyes had stayed by his side the whole time, hovering and doing whatever he needed so that he wouldn’t have to expend any energy on anything but healing.  But also having a deeper conversation with him about his work habits that the smuggler had gotten an intimate view of when he had seen him get right back into his routine the minute Lexi had given him the chance. 

Seeing the astonishment on the Latino man’s face when he had started tackling his stack of overdue reports and meeting with a bandage still on the surgical scars from his brain hemorrhages, he had laughed at first.  But as the days wore on and the stare from the man got more and more concerned the discussion had finally hit its breaking point.  The smuggler had jumped to his feet one day and grabbed the stack of data pads he had been planning to work on after his morning workout and had thrown them into the desk drawer with a glare. 

_“Is this seriously how you would spend your days before Meridian?”  Reyes had asked, hand running through his once flawless hair with frustration clear in his features._

_“Yes, why do you look like this is a bad thing?”  Scott asked, furling his brow in confusion as he tried to get into the drawer only to be blocked by the smuggler’s leg._

_“I went to sleep last night at about midnight and you were still up, then I wake up now at six and you’ve obviously been up for a while.  This seems like a bad thing Scott.”  The smuggler said, backing the pathfinder up until the back of his knees hit the bed._

_“I get a lot done.”  He tried to point out as the tan skinned man straddled him with a smirk._

_“But you neglect yourself, promise me that you’ll start thinking about that.”  Reyes had said, kissing along his neck with a purpose._

_“I promise, now I think you’re about to provide a very important form of not neglecting myself.”  Scott said, running his hand over the man’s clothed chest._

“Scott are you even listening to me?”  Reyes asked, slightly raised voice pulling him out of his memory in a snap, finding himself sitting on the edge of his bed in much of the same position as that morning but with significantly less affection between them.

Looking up he met the man’s furious eyes and he suddenly felt a deep ball of guilt collect in his stomach, knowing that he had gone and taken the man’s gift of relaxation and thrown it to the side to continue working.  Tears started to collect in his eyes as his gaze shot to the floor, waiting for the man in front of him to snap at him or lecture his unhealthy habits more.  He hadn’t expected the man to sit next to him and pull him down on the bed with him, arms wrapped tight enough that he wouldn’t have been able to get away if he wanted to.

“We have roughly six hours until we get to Eos, you will be in this bed sleeping or at least pretending with your eyes closed.  Do you understand?”  The smuggler asked, removing one of his arms to strip himself of his other boot and pants before separating to remove his shirt.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”  Scott said, following suit with his own clothing before letting the man pull him up and under the collections of blankets he rarely used on his bed. 

Lying his head on the Latino man’s bare chest, he sighed as the familiar itch below his skin materialized again.  Even with the soft blankets and the gentle rise and fall of his partner’s chest he couldn’t shake the feeling that he should be doing something with his time.  Maybe he could sneak out of bed once his partner had fallen asleep, Reyes had to be tired right?  Having planned this whole thing must have taken some of the man’s energy for the day. 

“I can hear you plotting to get back to your desk you know.  You mumble your thoughts when you’re sleep deprived.”  Reyes chuckled as he tensed in place curled up next to him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  He said, burrowing his face into the man’s side to hide his embarrassment at being caught.

“Uh huh, lucky for you I managed to take a nap before the tempest landed.  So I’m all game for sitting here and making sure you sleep.”  The smuggler said, kissing the top of the pathfinder’s hair before nuzzling his cheek into the feathery locks.

Nodding in innocence, he turned over in the man’s hold with his back to his side before discretely moving his hand under his pillow.  Fingers catching the edge of the data pad he had there, stopping just long enough to make sure the man behind him was still lying on his back.  Sighing in content at the warm hand running down the muscles of his back and the dimly lighted weather report in front of him, he finally relaxed for the short ride to Eos. 

“See isn’t this nice, just you and me relaxing in bed for the afternoon no work or pestering outposts taking up our time?”  Reyes asked, glancing over to the back of his boyfriends head.

If one didn’t pay attention the pathfinder could look like he was relaxing, or at the most asleep on his side.  After all most of his body was pliant in the sheets, head just on the bottom edge of the pillow.  But as he looked closer he could see the small twitching of his shoulder muscles, rhythmic tapping on an object that wasn’t the sheets or the pillows.  Furling his brow, the smuggler quietly levered his body up so that he could see over his partner’s broad shoulders.  Seeing the scrolling words of a report on the bed beside the man’s bent arm.  How many data pads did this damn man have?

“I’ll admit it is nice, even if I can’t really fall asleep.”  Scott said absentmindedly, sleep deprived mind completely unaware of the bed dipping different directions or his boyfriend fuming over his shoulder.

“Are you fucking kidding me, where the hell was that one?”  Reyes growled, getting out of the bed with a scowl as he plucked the piece of technology from the surprised man.

“Uh…”  The pathfinder, savior of Helius said graciously in response.

“Strike two, now get the hell up and give me every single data pad that you have stashed, now.”  Reyes demanded, not an ounce of leniency in his frustrated voice.

The smuggler had seen a lot in his time as well as smuggler, but this was beyond anything he had ever imagined the son of an alliance hero who grew up in relatively carefree conditions on the citadel would ever be capable of.  Over the course of ten minutes Scott had pulled data pads from every conceivable hiding spot in his room to stack on the bed in front of Reyes.  Stuck in a panel next to the door control, three more by the headboard of the bed, disguised as a book in shelf, colored just right to blend into the metal on the side of night stands, and even fitted with magnets so that they would stick to the bottom of table and a few corner of the ceiling.  He felt like he had just discovered a side to Scott he didn’t want to know existed. 

“How did you even get this many?”  Reyes asked in astonishment, looking at the pile of no less than thirty data pads as his partner shuffled beside him in guilt.

“Tann always gave me a new one with each important mission report, I just never returned the old ones.”  Scott mumbled in explanation, gaze intently focused on a small scuff mark in the floor beside his bed rather than his blown away boyfriend.

“And this is all of them?”  The smuggler clarified, slipping on a pair of his partner’s initiative issued sweat pants and his own shirt, walking over to his desk.

“Yeah.”  The pathfinder answered, not looking over to the last one he had hidden in the bottom of his model display case.

“Good, these are all leaving this room, you get back in that bed.”  Reyes ordered, stacking his computer on the already sizable stack of thin data pads before walking out of his quarters.

Waiting until the door closed, he hurried over to his model case and looked down at the glass.  Only being able to see the data pad if you looked close enough, he was relieved to know that he still had at least one that he could work with.  Maybe when Reyes went to sleep at night or a shower or something.  His head felt conflicted at keeping things from the smuggler, but also energetically anxious at being able to slip something past the man.  Those hopes were dashed when his boyfriend came back into the room and shouldered him out of the day to open the case and pluck the last one from his possession.

“Thank you SAM.”  Reyes said pointedly as he walked back out of the room.

“You goddamn traitor.”  He growled at the floating orb on his desk.

_I agree with Mr. Vidal that you are better off without any temptations during your vacation.  Ensuring that goal aligns with my programming to keep you well both physically and mentally.  I could have told him that you haven’t slept more than ten standard hours in the last twelve day cycles.  SAM explained, Scott not liking the amount of devious snark that his AI had picked up._

“I feel so attacked right now, what have I done to deserve this?”  Scott asked, turning around as the door opened to glare at his smug boyfriend.

“Do you honestly want me to read the emails?  This is for your own good carino.”  Reyes said, stepping close to his partner, hands drifting down to the man’s hips.

“You’re acting like I’m an alcoholic or something, I’ve hurt no one doing this.  One might even say I help people by working efficiently.”  He shot back, trying to back out of the man’s caring hold only to hit his desk.

“Tell me truthfully how much you have been sleeping, the last time you just sat down and relaxed?”  The smuggler offered, bring one hand up to tilt the man’s beautiful bright blue eyed gaze toward his own golden brown one.

He actually tried to remember the last time, memories flashing back to the begrudging agreement to rest after SAM had been severed from him.  But that really wasn’t a choice on his part, to lie down on his couch in hopes that his splintering headache would diminish and the cold embrace of death could be replaced with the warmth from blankets.  He had never chosen to sleep for more than four hours a night or relax himself.  Most of the times where he had were helped with sedatives or near fatal injuries that his body had no choice but to take all his energy and heal. 

“You can’t remember can you?”  Reyes said softly, kissing his partner’s cheek.

“No, not really.  I really do have a problem don’t I?”  Scott whispered, allowing himself to be pulled into the sturdy arms of his partner, head cushioned on his shoulder.

“You do, but now I hope you’ve recognized it.  That’s good, we can work with admission, not denial.”  The smuggler explained, pulling him back toward the bed.

Allowing himself to be tucked back into bed, he welcomed the smuggler back with him as soon as he had peeled off his own layers.  Nuzzling into the man’s chest, humming in appreciation at the man’s gentle affection as he kissed along the stress induced wrinkles on his forehead and the corners of his eyes.  His body seemed to flip a switch, realizing the same stimulus from months ago when he had first met the smuggler and the weeks beyond.  Eyes drooping and muscles realizing how long they had gone without a proper night’s rest.  Mentally knowing that he didn’t crash often like this, but when he did it was a hard crash.

“You’re crashing aren’t you, I can feel it in your body.  Giving into the fatigue you’ve built up.  Let it happen carino, sweet dreams.”  Reyes whispered, pulling the blankets up and over his shoulders as he felt Scott got completely lax against him.

-

Scott woke up groggily, rubbing the blurry vision from his eyes as he sat up, blankets pooling at his waist.  Glancing around his room, he was alone with his windows letting a little of the light from the bright sunrise into his room, warming his skin where it touched.  Confusion clouded his thoughts, having last remembered falling asleep with his boyfriend in the early afternoon if he remembered right.  They were definitely on Eos from what he could see of the landscape, oddly not seeing his usual view of the outpost, but the thought that he was just having an elaborate dream continued to permeate his mind.

Getting to his feet and stretching his stiff muscles, he scratched at the scar tissue on the side of his chest from his battle with the Archon as he walked toward his closet to find some comfortable looking clothing to go explore in.  Slipping on a pair of shorts and his favorite Blasto tank top, he wandered out of his room, confusion growing more and more at the empty ship.  Every hiding hole of his crew that he checked was empty, even Lexi who usually stayed pretty close to the med bay was nowhere to be seen, her medical clothes stacked in the corner of her bunk.

“Please don’t be like the dream where I had to fight an architect in my underwear.”  Scott silently pleaded as he hit the release for the door to the ramp.

Squinting at the bright light that hit his face when the door slid open, he saw a sight that made his jaw drop.  Kallo had set them down on the far end of the natural lake that Eos had.  Development from the vault had all but eliminated the radiation from that atmosphere and caused vegetation to grow around the sources of water and some of the hills.  It reminded him of the shores earth when their family went on vacation, running through the thin brush on their way to the wide open sandy beaches. 

Jaal, Vetra, and Gil were playing in the waves.  Cora, Lexi, Peebee, Drack, Liam, and Suvi were playing against each other in a small game of volleyball.  Kallo was off with studying some of the new foliage.  And Reyes was laid out on a large blanket along one of the quieter sections of the beach, eyes closed as he let the sun beat down on his golden skin.  The sight made him smile as he padded over through the sand with just his bare feet until he was close enough to set himself down next to the man, peeling off his shirt to get some sun of his own.

“Good morning carino, thought you might never wake up.”  His partner mumbled lazily, reaching an arm out to wrap around his shoulders.

“How long did I sleep for, I was so confused when I woke up.”  Scott explained, earning a small laugh from the smuggler.

“About noon yesterday till whatever time it is now.  I couldn’t even wake you up for dinner, you were that tired you know.”  The man replied, cracking open his eyes to take in the rested expression of his pathfinder.

Nodding in affirmation, he separated from the man enough to lie on his back with his arms stretched over his head.  Not moving or opening his eyes as he heard the Latino man get up from beside him and walk off somewhere behind him.  He was almost back to sleep by the time he felt the chill of a shadow fall over him.  Looking up and opening his eyes, his mind took a few moments to process what his boyfriend was holding in his hands before he shot to his feet and kissed the man passionately. 

“If I had known you would have like it that much.”  Reyes chuckled, handing the sleek surfboard over to the downright giddy man who looked like the smuggler had just become Santa Claus on Christmas.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”  Scott repeated, pulling off his shirt and turning to run toward the water before the smuggler caught the back of his shorts stopping him in place.

“You need sun screen first, I remember how easily you burn.”  The man said, holding up a bottle of the lotion.

“Fine.”  The pathfinder mumbled, standing in place with the patience of a two year old as Reyes hastily applied the lotion to his back, chest, legs, arms, neck, and face. 

“There that wasn’t so bad, now go free.”  The smuggler said, bend at the waist as he watched the small attempt to sprint off toward the lake, only to trip over the board and plant himself face first in the sand.

Not one to be deterred by a little embarrassment, Scott got back to his feet and jogged to the water.  Paddling out into the waves that were oddly large for a lake but common place on an ocean.  Diving under a wave, he relished the feeling of water rushing past his body, the fresh water not stinging his eyes as he looked out into the vast blue.  Coming back up on the other side with a smiling breath of air, his paddling recommenced.  Moving toward his goal where he could see where the biggest waves were forming.

One he got to his mark, he sat straddled on his board with a giddy energy about him.  It had been so long since he had been able to experience this.  The gentle air spraying him with water, bouncing in with the currents, and feeling the warmth of the sun beat down on his body.  It reminded him of his family vacations so much.  The memory of his sister running off to search the beach for shells, his father only going into the water for a few minutes before retiring to his towel to nap, and his mother…

A pang of sadness hit him deeply as he thought back to her.  The last time they had taken a vacation was the week before she had decided to tell them about her condition.  She had seemed so happy that day, sitting in her beach chair with one of her favorite books, not really reading it though.  If he really thought back, she was watching all of them with a sad happiness in her eyes.  Getting up to collect shells with Sara for a short time, staying close to her.  Flicking small bunches of sand and sea weed at her husband just to get him to smile at her in annoyance.  And him…

_“You know this is a waste of money right?”  Ellen had pointed out, looking at the holding two surf boards while his she had applied sunscreen to his already burned back._

_“You promised that if I got my grades up, that you would do it.”  Scott replied, holding his own green tinted board and the yellow one he had rented for his mother._

_“Is it bad to say that I didn’t think you would actually do it?”  She asked, looking up at her son’s happy expression as he handed her the board._

_“As a mother yes, but as someone that who doesn’t want to surf no.”  He said, walking toward the water with an extra skip in his step._

_“It’s not that I don’t want to Scotty, it’s your thing and we only have so many days left on Earth before we transfer to the citadel.  You shouldn’t have to spend them coaching your mother.”  She tried, following his example to wade into the water and then start paddling on the board._

_“But I need someone to surf with and Sara won’t do it, and dad is well dad.”  He said, not seeing the sad frown at the knowledge that she wouldn’t be able to do this long term like he was hoping._

_“Or I’m just the easiest person you could convince.”  She said, laughing under her breath as they got out into the relatively calm water._

_“Or maybe I’m a little scared about finally leaving and going off to the alliance in a few years and not having you guys around.”  Scott admitted quietly, stunting her laughter in a second as she looked at her son._

_“Scott, you’ll always be my baby boy.  But everyone leaves the nest at some point, it’s hard I know.  I’ll always be with you, one way or another.”  Ellen said, floating over to hug him as much as she could on the tipping boards._

_“Sara was right, I am a momma’s boy.”  He laughed, thoughts settled from worry for the time being._

_“Knew it from the moment you were born, didn’t even want to be next to your sister or let your father hold you.  They had to put you in a different nursery room because you kept waking all the other kids.  My boy.”  She said, smiling at the memory as she discretely reached over to push off his balance._

_The resounding splash in the water was a moment only shared between them and his father’s video camera that had a blurry/clear version from the shore.  He had surfaced with a scowl on his face that made his mother snicker and snort as he climbed back onto the board.  The joy on her face, secret illness forgotten, and making a nice memory for her son to remember her by._

When his thoughts came back to reality, he had a smile on his face and fresh tear tracks running down his cheeks as he looked down at the rivets of water rolling off his board.  Having drifted a little farther out, his memory and emotional response went unnoticed by his crew and partner on the shore.  Coupled with the knowledge that his mother was safe in cryo for the time being while they figured out a viable cure to her illness, he had hope he might get to have that memory come back to life.

Taking a deep breath, he wiped his eyes and started looking for his objective.  Seeing the promise of energy moving below the waves, he gently kicked his feet to get his momentum going forward.  Spying his prize of a developing white cap, he got down on his stomach and started to paddle forward.  Getting on top of the wave was always tricky, but he managed fine, jumping to his feet as the water moved underneath him. 

Feeling the ache in his cheeks as his smile broadened, and the muscle memory of his body recognizing the motions.  Hips tilting ever so slightly to correct his balance and directing himself to the developing barrel.  Entering the tunnel of water, his mind shut down in complete bliss.  Reaching up a tentative hand he felt along the liquid ceiling feeling some of it drip down onto his bare back.  All outside sound immediately silenced, giving him mindless euphoria.  Until at least something else landed on his back.

At first he just thought it might be some sea weed as he came out of the tunnel, intent on skimming the last hundred feet or so to the shore.  Then he felt it move, a slimly tentacle creature slithering down his spine.  He would forever deny the panicked yelp that he let out, scrambling to get the foreign organism off his body as he backpedaled off the board with a resounding slap of his flat back to the water.  The violent response, had the creature stinging his back sharply in defense. 

Cursing loudly he finally made his way onto the shore, catching the attention of his crew and partner as Lexi ran over to help him.  The creature had refused to remove itself from his back, shrinking closer to his skin as more people gathered around him.  To make matters worse, when Lexi went to nudge the animal off with a small stick it shocked him.  The fact that an animal could both sting and shock him had his panic growing.

“That’s so cool, can I touch it?”  Peebee asked, barely held back by Gil’s arms.

“No, don’t touch me or it.”  Scott squeak, his partner trying to contain him from moving around to much.

“It’s very fascinating, do you think it latched on with claws or suction cups?”  Suvi asked, looking up at Kallo as the salarian scribbled down notes.

“Get it off, get it off, get it off.”  Scott whined, covering his ears with his hands.

“Just hold still, we don’t know what it doesn’t like.”  Lexi tried, leaning down to detach the string attaching the man’s leg to the surfboard.

“Wonder if we could sell it?”  Vetra muttered, crossing her arms as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

“Does anyone have anything worthwhile to say?”  Liam asked, clearly into his crisis management mode.

“Oh, it’s a Gretna.  I thought that they were long extinct.”  Jaal added, oblivious to the man’s distress as he studied the creature.

“Is it poisonous?”  Reyes asked, trying and failing to hold his partner in place.

“No, but the sting is very painful.  Here let me.”  Jaal said, gently poking the animal just above its eye, causing it to detach and run back into the ocean. 

“Come on Scott, let’s get you to the med bay.”  Lexi whispered, gently leading the shaken man to the ship.

“See what happens when I relax, nothing good.  Reports never fucking hurt me.”  The pathfinder snapped as he laid down on his stomach on one of the med bay beds.

“I would beg to differ, but I will admit this is less than what I imagined.”  His partner said softly, running his thumb over the agitated wrinkles on the man’s forehead. 

Scott grumbled to himself after that, whimpering as Lexi disinfected the two puncture sting wounds on his upper back and applied an anti-inflammatory ointment bandage to the entire irritated area.  By that time Reyes had left and come back with one of his partner’s softer shirts to help him slip into.  Walking back out onto the beach, they laid down together on the smuggler’s blanket, Scott on his stomach as Reyes stayed close.  The man grabbing a spare blanket to throw over both of them as they were lying in the shade with a slight breeze kicking up.

“You looked like you were having fun before this happened.  I will admit, the sight of you surfing is a thing out of my day dreams.  Happy, excited, shirtless.”  Reyes mused, running a finger across the bare skin of the man’s back between his waistband and the rucked up material of his shirt.

“Such a cheesy, horny romantic.  How did I ever get so lucky?”  Scott mumbled, in part mocking the smuggler and in another part musing in appreciation at the intimate attention.

“You know the whole ship is empty right now carino.  We could get away from the cheesy and get straight to getting lucky.”  The smuggler whispered, teasing his hand under the man’s waistband, the other man tensing at the temperature difference between the sensations on his cold behind from his shorts still being semi wet.

“There’s nothing straight about you getting lucky.”  Scott snarked, smiling anyway as he levered himself to his feet.

“Touché mi angel.”  Reyes whispered, licking his lips at the tent in his partner’s board shorts, disappearing behind the blanket he wrapped around himself.

“Down boy.”  The pathfinder laughed, seeing the desire in those golden orbs.

It only took a moment of seeing the devious look on the smuggler’s face before choosing to bolt up the beach toward the ship.  The man’s hand just barely missing his target of pulling off the blanket and embarrassing his boyfriend.  Even with the blanket wrapped around his form, Scott was still faster than the smuggler as he reached the ramp of the tempest before turning around with his tongue sticking out.  Not counting on his partner being on his heels, he scrambled to get out of the reach of the man, tripping on the blanket and crashing into the metal floor of the cargo bay.

“Are you ok?”  Reyes asked, inching closer to the face down man who was shuffling in the blanket, swearing that he heard some sniffling.

His vision went black as it was filled with the plaid pattern of the blanket, the sound of skidding footsteps in the background as Scott sprinted off toward his cabin.  Thrashing to get out of the trap, he tucked the blanket under his arm and walked with a purpose back to his partner.  The door sliding open to reveal a pair of board shorts and a very naked and red faced Scott on the bed, smiling from ear to devious ear.

“I think you’ve run out of paths.”  Reyes said lowly, locking the door behind him as he stalked to the foot of the bed, shedding clothes along the way.

“I suppose I have, what are you going to do Mr. Charlatan?”  Scott asked, voice rough with want as the smuggler trapped him under himself, hand set on either side of his chest.

“Whatever I want pathfinder.”  Reyes growled sealing their lips.

-

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, kudos and comments appreciated.


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